INTERCOLONIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 13

INTER COLONIAL.

MELBOURNE, January 30.

While six Italians and two children were i crossing Thompson's River at Walhalla j in an old punt the boat foundered. Four of the men and the two children were drowned. Later estimates of tha damage done by the bush fire are as high as £200,000. January 31. Three men named Mills, Howard, and Livitt were drowned in Loch Garry through the upsetting of a boat. « | February 2. j The Premier has submitted his income'

' tax proposals. They are practically . the same as the old ones, the promise of the late Premier for a reduction not having been carried out. i February 5. I Thirty thousand sheep were destroyed in the late bush fires in Warrnambool. ; Three children named Ashcroffc were burned to death in a tent at Orbost. Four others were severely injured. SYDNEY, January 30. ; Mr E. Barton, Q.C., has been appointed to represent New South Wales on the federal delegation to England. It is bei lieved that no amendments to the Comi monwealth Act will be agreed to by the delegates. It is understood that Lord Beauchamp retires when the Governpr-general is appointed. January 31. The Chinese here do not approve of the contemplated abdication of the Emperor of China. Quong Tart, on behalf of his compatriots from China, has cabled the Empress praying her to restore the Emperor Kuanghsu to power. Ex-Premiers Dickson and Kingston represent Queensland and South Australia on the federal delegation to England. From the official report of the Premiers' j Conference it is shown that the following qualifications with regard to laying the Cape cable were accepted : — The suggestion of Mr Chamberlain that the company j shall not raise the cable rates ; the right • to open local offices only when the Pacific j scheme is accomplished ; no exemption ] from customs duties except on telegraph instruments, cables, and chemicals ; the ' sites at Perth, Fremantle, Adelaide, and ' Glenelg to be subject to the approval of the Governments concerned ; and the Roebuck Bay cable not to be closed. The conference before dissolving cabled their sympathy to the Duchess of York on the death of her father, the Duke of Teck. February 1. Word has been received that the steamer Airlie has been floated off. February 4. Mr E. Barton, the federal delegate of this colony, has sailed for London. February 5. Mr Lyne, the Premier, arranged that Mr Barton should resign his seat in the Assembly prior to his going to England on the federal delegation. Mr Reid, when interviewed, said that he was much struck bj- the general prosperity in New Zealand. The gap between ] the classes and the masses was much smaller than is usual. No sort of bad legislation could keep New Zealand back, but, so far as he could see, there was a general belief in the measures with which Mr Seddon's name was connected. Mr Seddon assured him of his thorough sympathy with federation, and hoped that New j Zealand might yet find it possible to join.. Personally, however, Mr Reid found that, whilst there was a general interest in the question, it wenj no farther, and was not : regarded as being within the field of prac- j tical politics. The only matter upon which j New Zealand was concerned was the tariff. I Mr Reid thinks that if New Zealanders could be assured of a reciprocity treaty with their Commonwealth their interest in federation would die out, but he told New Zealand's leaders that the prospects of any such treaty were not encouraging. He was sanguine that federation would yet become a serious question in the course of a few years. I ADELAIDE, February 1. It is proposed to remunerate the federal delegates to England with the sum of £1000 apiece. The trip is to occupy three months. February 2. The Bank of New Zealand close their Adelaide branch on February 12. PERTH, January 30. The separation movement in the goldfields districts is spreading. Already 5000 ; persons have signed the petition to the • Queen in its favour. I . • BRISBANE, January 31. ' Lieutenaujt-cgloael Finn, of the 21st

Lancers, has been appointed commandant of the Queensland forces. February 3. The Government propose to take a firm stand against the Cape cable scheme, and will take every means possible to have it rejected, as such a work would imperil the success of the Pacific cable. The Labour party, at a meeting, resolved to support the Government's action. HOBART, February 5. Sir Philip Fysh will act as representative of Tasmania on the federal delegation to England. THURSDAY ISLAND, January 30. It is expected that the steamer Airlie wili be floated off on Wednesday.